Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a warning device for indicating the failure of a sump pump.
Description of the Prior Art
Residential buildings and other edifices frequently have incorporated in the lowest level thereof a sump which serves as a drain for ground water, rain water, etc. entering the structure through the walls or base thereof. In order to keep the water from overflowing the sump and entering the lowest floor of the structure, a sump pump is usually provided for draining water from the sump. This sump pump is generally either mounted within the sump itself or else at a distance above the sump. In order to conserve energy, means are generally provided for activating the sump pump only when a certain amount of water is detected in the sump, so that the water level is prevented from exceeding a predetermined level.
If the sump pump should fail, either by becoming completely inoperative or by operating at reduced capacity, serious damage and great inconvenience may occur if water overflows the sump and enters the base floor of the structure. The occupant of a building generally only learns of the failure of his sump pump when the basement becomes flooded or when by chance he happens to note that the sump pump has failed. Therefore, the failure of a sump pump is frequently accompanied by expensive repairs, both to the sump pump itself and to the structure in which it is used.
It is known in other arts to activate warning devices to indicate high or low liquid levels in tanks or compartments. For example, there are float-operated warning devices used in association with steam boilers, hulls of ships, drip pans, and oil or gasoline tanks. Nevertheless, it has heretofore been unknown to indicate the failure of a pump for draining the sump in a building through the detection of a high level of water in the sump.